


Road Trip

by theaveragebear



Category: Rhett and Link
Genre: Blow Jobs, College, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Pining, Road Trip, Semi-Public Sex, bed sharing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-08
Updated: 2017-04-08
Packaged: 2018-10-16 10:46:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10569717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theaveragebear/pseuds/theaveragebear
Summary: The boys head to Nashville.





	

The rain came down harder than they had expected. Rhett was currently driving and he felt as if he couldn't see five feet ahead of him, especially now that it had turned dark. The weather had predicted showers for the afternoon, but it became torrential as they drove further west, and at present it was coming down in hard, heavy sheets.

They had expected the trip to Nashville to take a bit over 8 hours, maybe more adding in bathroom/snack stops, but they had been driving for nearly 10 and were still just outside of Knoxville. I-40 was severely backed up due to accidents, and the incessant rain only added to the delays. The boys had planned this trip last minute, one of them hearing about a great local band playing on Saturday night at a dive bar. The three of them piled into Gregg’s car Friday afternoon after class with the intention of making it to Nashville by 10 or so, early enough that they could make it out to a bar or two before the end of the night. When they had pulled out onto the interstate so many hours ago, the car was abuzz with excited energy, but as it neared midnight the atmosphere seemed charged with defeat.

“We’re not gonna make it, guys,” Rhett spoke for the first time in a while, he had been too focused on driving in the uneasy conditions to engage in conversation with his travel-mates. The last leg through the Smoky Mountains had been particularly agonizing, the car sliding around the corners of the switchbacks.

“Yeah, I been thinking that for a while.” Link nervously tapped his fingers on the center console and squinted out the passenger side window.

“At this rate, we won’t make it there ‘till at least 3 am, and it’s gonna be hell trying to find a motel at that time. And I’m starting to fade...I don’t know how y’all are feeling, but I need to stop and sleep.” Rhett’s knuckles were white from his grip on the steering wheel. “This shit ain't easy to drive in. I say we find something soon and just drive the rest in the morning. We can be in the city by mid-day if we leave early enough.”

Gregg agreed from the backseat, and they all began looking out for signs for a motel. They didn’t have to wait long. Two miles down the road, the familiar blue and red neon of a Motel 6 sign shone high above the treeline, beaconing them off the interstate.

At the check-in counter they tried for two rooms or at least an extra cot, but the woman working the desk just shook her head and smiled apologetically. “Sorry, y’all are gonna have to make do with what we got. Best I can do for you is two double beds. Someone’s just gonna have to share.” She winked at Link, who immediately flushed a deep shade of red.

“It’s fine...we just need to crash.” Rhett smirked at Link’s embarrassment, but decided not to tease him further. He knew they’d end up sharing, it’s just how it always is in these situations. Link will undoubtedly make a scene out of protesting, but then he’ll be asleep in about 30 seconds, so Rhett’s not sure why he even cares. He’s the one who’s gonna be kept awake by Link’s constant tossing and turning. But, he’d rather share with Link than Gregg, so he’s not going to complain.

Sure enough, as soon as they push through the door to the room, Gregg drops his bag onto the far bed, flops onto it and reaches for the TV remote.

“Y’all are cool with sharing, right?” He looks from Rhett to Link, but it’s clear it’s not really a question.

“I love how that’s just assumed...like, can’t we at least rock, paper, scissors, or something?”

Rhett huffs out a laugh, Link is nothing if not predictable.

“Yeah, right,” Gregg teases, “I know how you two like to cuddle. Just keep it down, ok?”

Link’s blush from earlier returns, but Rhett steps in before he can start in with remonstrations, “I’d rather sleep in a bed with Link than your stinky ass. Seriously, when was the last time you showered?”

“Who the hell knows?” Gregg laughs easily and pulls out a six pack from his bag. They each reach for a beer and share their thoughts on the tough drive and their plans for the next day before calling it a night.

Rhett never ceases to be amazed by how quickly other people fall asleep. Before he knows it, he can hear each of his companions softly snoring; he hears their deep breathing and is envious. He wishes he possessed the ability to turn his brain off so easily, but every night he finds himself staring at the ceiling waiting for sleep to hit him, as he runs through the events of the day.

Tonight, though, he’s not staring at the ceiling, longing for slumber. Tonight he is turned on his side and contemplating Link’s back, wishing he were still awake. They had stripped to their boxers for bed, and Rhett can clearly make out the curve of Link’s spine in the soft street light filtering in from the window. He runs his eyes across his oldest friend’s broad shoulders and wonders when this all started. He tries to place the exact moment he knew that what he felt for Link was not just friendship, or brotherhood. He can’t, though. As long as Link’s been there, so have his feelings, though maybe he didn’t always understand them as he does now. He knows that they have always been different. Rhett sees them as opposing ends of two magnets, drawn to each other seemingly without reason, their bond elemental.

And now this is happening. Now he is in a bed with his best friend, who is fast asleep, attempting to silently slip closer to wrap an arm around him, pull him close, and blame it on fidgeting sleep patterns. As he shifts closer, inch by inch, he hears Gregg roll over in his sleep. He lifts his head and peers over, but Gregg is still out cold. As he rests his head back down, he shakes it a bit at the absurdity of what he was just attempting. He’s about to roll back to his side of the bed when he feels a shift in the mattress underneath him. Seemingly still asleep, Link slides backwards, not a lot, but certainly a noticeable amount. That’s an odd way to move in your sleep, Rhett thinks. He’s accustomed to Link flailing about, but this felt like a deliberate move. So he matches it. Heart beating wildly, he presses forward and feels Link shift toward him again. Before he knows it they have met in the middle of the bed, not quite touching, but close enough that he can feel the heat of Link’s skin. Some of his hair is grazing Rhett’s neck, softly scratching his sensitive skin, and that’s all it takes for him to finish his earnest journey across the small bed. He closes the microscopic gap between them, noticing how smooth the skin on Link’s back feels as it’s pressing into his chest. They lie there for an awkward moment, neither sure what to do next. But Rhett knows what he’s been imagining doing for weeks, so he wraps his free arm around Link’s waist and reaches up to grip his jaw, turning Link’s head slightly, and presses his nose into the curve of his neck. Link breathes out a loud sigh, and Rhett thinks it’s the greatest sound he’s ever heard.

The next few minutes pass slowly; Rhett’s hands are curious, feeling out Link in the dark. His lanky fingers make paths up Link’s chest, branching out across his collarbones, winding down through his dark, surprisingly soft, hair. He brushes the stubble on his chin across Link’s shoulder blade. At first Link is still, his only movement the shallow rise and fall of his ribcage, but as Rhett grows bolder, so does he. He reaches his free hand up to grip the back of Rhett’s neck and pull him closer. He feels Rhett’s breath on his ear and shivers. Rhett smirks into the nape of his neck and reaches for Link’s earlobe with his tongue, then teeth. The wet contact breaks something open, and Link is spinning in Rhett’s arms, arching up to meet him full force. There is no hesitation in their first kiss, it’s wild and rough, making up for lost time. Before they can even catch their breath, Rhett has flipped Link onto his back and is grinding into him, pressing his wrists up against the headboard.

With his eyes shut, Rhett slowly starts retreating, hands and lips and tongue trailing down Link’s chest and abdomen. He is taunting the waistband of Link’s boxers when he hears Gregg grunt and flip over in his bed. Instinctually, they break apart, pushing away from each other with reckless speed, causing Link to roll out of the bed. He lands hard on the floor and a yelp escapes his mouth before he has a chance to stop it. He clasps his hand to his mouth, but the damage is done. Gregg sits up in his bed, drowsily peering over at them through one open eye.

“What the hell are you guys doing?”

“Link fell out of bed.” The words tumble from Rhett’s mouth, and he does his best to sound grumpy, as if he, too, had just be abruptly woken from a deep sleep.

“How is that even possible? You’re a grown man.”

Link peeks his head up from the other side of the bed, “You know me...I’m so clumsy...even in my sleep.”

He climbs back up and buries himself under the covers. “Sorry, guys. I’ll try to stay on the bed this time. G’night.”

Gregg is back asleep before Link even finishes his sentence. He and Rhett lay in the quiet for a few minutes, both unsure what to say. Eventually, Rhett rolls over toward Link, scoots in a bit closer and presses his lips to Link’s shoulder. He winds his hand down and mingles his fingers with Link’s and soon they are both drifting off.

Morning brings them no conclusion. Gregg is up before them, showering and making coffee in the mini coffee pot. The business of getting back on the road and toward their destination distracts them from lingering on the events of the prior evening. Before long, they are packed and back on the road. The storm from the day before has cleared and the sky is bright blue, stretching parallel to the road in front of them.

Rhett’s solution is to turn up the radio loud, and they pull into Nashville singing at the top of their lungs like idiots. The afternoon is filled with wandering, exploring the city, meandering into honky-tonks, finding a great barbecue place for lunch. At dusk they find themselves passing a bottle of whiskey around by the banks of the Cumberland River. Rhett recognizes that the day should have been filled with awkwardness, but it wasn't. Were there a few loaded glances? Sure, but he could feel that the foundation of their friendship remained unchanged. They were brothers first, before everything, and nothing, not even a hot make out session, could diminish that.

As the sun set, they headed out for the venue, excited to see their favorite band play. The opening act was rowdy, kicking up the crowd, getting them all ready. The boys bought beers and settled into a spot near the front of the stage. The band started and a swell rose from the crowd, the bar was packed and the air was thick with anticipation. Gregg laid his eyes on a pretty redhead who was leaning against the opposite wall.

“I”ll be back. Well, maybe. If I’m not, don’t wait up.” Gregg flashed them a grin and set off across the room.

The band was even better live than they had realized. The audience was fanatic, singing loudly to each song, stomping their feet, dancing frenetically. Rhett snuck off to the bar and returned with shots for them both. They clinked glasses and their eyes met, Rhett recognizing the flash of a challenge in Link’s. He smiled as they downed their drinks. The crowd surged forward, forcing Rhett into Link’s space. He wanted to reach out and wind his arm around Link’s waist, move against him, but they were where they were, and he knew better. The band played a rebellious anthem and Rhett watched as Link lost himself to the beat, dancing wildly along with the current of the crowd. His head swayed in time with the fiddle, his body matching the intensity of the music. Rhett was struck by how beautiful he was like this, carefree and loose. Without warning, he spun around, caught Rhett’s gaze, and they both laughed through dark eyes.

_I wanna feel that blood rushing in my veins_

He grabbed Rhett's hand and pulled him through the crowd, away from the stage. They twisted their way toward the back of the bar and Link practically pushed Rhett into one of the single room bathrooms, locking the door behind them.

The music was hollow through the thick door.

_Tonight I’m gonna do all them things that I want to_

“Link, I--”

“Shh...no talking.” Link pressed his palm into Rhett’s shoulder, so that he was flush with the door. “We both know what’s happening here.”

“We do?”

“We do.”

“Oh, glad we cleared that up.”

“No talking.” With that, Link dove into him, reaching up to kiss him, threading his arms under Rhett’s, clawing at his back.

They struggled for control, and soon Rhett had spun them around so that Link was against the door. Link’s response was to hop up and wrap his legs around Rhett's waist, testing Rhett’s strength. Rhett shifted his hips, and Link practically whimpered. He walked them toward the sink, set Link on the counter, his hands reaching to lift the hem of his shirt. He fought his way past the fabric, flattening his big palms wide against Link’s skin. One hand snaked its way up through the neck of his t-shirt and his fingers crawled up his neck, eventually finding their way to his lips. Link stilled, and lifted his eyes to meet Rhett's as he took one finger into his mouth. Rhett knew that this was it; this was the moment that changed the course of each of their lives. They could take the easy way out and stop, walk away with things relatively unchanged. But if they forged ahead, there was no going back.

_Tonight I’ll put that match down to that gasoline_

Link slid off the counter, forcing Rhett to withdraw his hand from under Link’s shirt. He stepped around so that they switched spots, and Rhett gave up any idea that he was in control. Link had led them here and Rhett was fine with letting him continue to guide them. Link trained his eyes on Rhett's as he leaned in and unbuttoned Rhett’s shirt, reaching in with his cold hands to feel the warmth of Rhett’s skin. He pulled Rhett into a tight embrace, his arms circling his back, digging his nails into his soft flesh. Rhett gripped Link’s dark hair as their mouths met again, slow and deep. Link’s caught Rhett’s lower lip with his teeth and broke away, stepping up on his toes to lick at Rhett’s ear, pressing hurried kisses down his neck and chest. Rhett leaned back against the counter as Link found his way to his knees, his hands still searching up Rhett’s torso, fingers twisting in the soft hair. He glanced up as he started in on Rhett’s buckle, finding grey-green eyes watching him, a deep flush rising up his chest. He pressed his face into Rhett's hip and Rhett let out a low growl.

“Rhett...I, I just, I’ve wanted this for--”

“I thought we weren’t talking.” Rhett smiled down at him. “You don’t have to say it. Like you said, we both know what’s happening here.”

Link tilted his head, regarding his best friend curiously, seeing a reflection of himself. Of course they both wanted this, when were they ever out of sync? He finished his work on Rhett’s buckle, sliding down the zipper. He was suddenly overly aware of their environment and was torn between wanting to take his time and work Rhett up, drive him a little crazy, and needing to hurry as there were probably already people waiting outside the door. There was no time for the uncertainty he felt in his fingers. He knew what to do, he had some practice on himself after all, but he was overwhelmed with how different the experience was from pleasuring himself and he felt a bit clumsy. He slickened his palm with his tongue, and squeezed lightly as he worked his hand up and down. Rhett’s eyes closed as he brushed the tip with his thumb, his other hand working around to grip at Rhett’s lower back, fingers brushing his backside. He watched Rhett closely as he worked with his hands, feeling more confident the more he saw Rhett fall apart under his touch.

The wet warmth of his mouth startled Rhett, and his breathy moan rattled around the tiled room. Almost simultaneously, they heard a loud knock on the door. Link hurried his pace, seemingly spurred on by the sound of people on the other side of the door. He worked Rhett with his mouth and hands together, stealing glances upward and smiling at the sight of Rhett breaking down. He wanted more time than they had now, wanted to explore Rhett further, find what else made him moan like that, but this was not the time for tentative exploration. He tested himself, pushed further down, easing into it, and Rhett’s fingers twined in his hair, softly pulling. Rhett resisted the urge to shift forward and speed things up on his own. He watched Link’s determined movements from behind heavy eyes. With each bob of Link’s head, he had to stifle the moans leaving his mouth. Link reached up with his free hand to cover Rhett’s mouth and Rhett bit down on the side of his palm. Each new breath came quick, and he tapped the top of Link’s head in warning. Link pulled off and stood up, working with one hand as he found Rhett’s mouth and kissed him, capturing Rhett’s moans as he came.

They stood in silence for a brief moment, noticing the echoey sounds of the music outside the door. Link leaned his forehead into Rhett’s chest and breathed in the scent of him. He thought that he could stay here forever, listening to Rhett’s heart thump loudly. His short reverie was broken by another loud knock at the door.

“Just a minute!” Rhett shrugged at Link and they giggled as they cleaned up and straightened themselves out.

“Ready?” Link searched Rhett’s face and found him smirking.

Rhett reached out and danced his fingers along the top of Link’s jeans. “What about you? I don’t think we’re finished.”

“I guess we’re gonna need to get a second room.” Link twisted the lock and pulled open the door.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first attempt at anything smutty. Be gentle :)  
> The song mentioned is Black Irish by The Devil Makes Three. Check them out!


End file.
